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Serpent of Slytherin
The Serpent of Slytherin was a Basilisk put in the Chamber of Secrets at Hogwarts School by Salazar Slytherin. It could be controlled by an Heir of Slytherin but not by anyone else who spoke Parseltongue. Biography Early years The Serpent of Slytherin was hatched by Salazar Slytherin in a chicken egg under a toad. He had built a Chamber of Secrets under Hogwarts School to keep it, in the hope an Heir would open the Chamber and unleash it to purge the school of Muggle-born students. He then abandoned the school but passed knowledge of it to descendants. The serpent could be only controlled by a descendent , and couldn't be controlled by anyone else who spoke Parseltongue. , Chapter 17, Harry spoke in Parseltongue to it but it wouldn't listen. It was put in , Chapter 13 that it was a creature that only Slytherin could control.}} The existence of the Chamber of Secrets was eventually a legend and it was unknown to anyone except Slytherin's descendants what the creature was. 1942-1943 school year By June 1943, Tom Riddle unleashed the Basilisk and it eventually killed a student near the entrance of the Chamber of Secrets. These events led to the school nearly being closed down. Hogwarts School was Tom Riddle's home and to save it closing down, he closed the Chamber of Secrets and locked the Basilisk up. Because it was unknown to everybody else what the creature was, he successfully framed Rubeus Hagrid and an Acromantula, Aragog for the events. 1992-1993 school year In September 1992 , Ginevra Weasley was manipulated by Tom Riddle's Diary to open the Chamber of Secrets. The very first Saturday of the school year, Harry Potter heard it for the first time during detention he was serving helping Gilderoy Lockhart answer fan-letters. It spoke about wanting to "tear" and "kill" but Lockhart could not hear it. Harry later told Ronald Weasley. In October, Harry heard the snake for the second time saying "rip... tear... kill..." and "soo hungry ... for so long". Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley were unable to hear it but Harry thought it was going to kill and he chased the voice. It Petrified Mrs Norris and Ginny left a warning by her that the "Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the Heir beware". A few days later it Petrified a second victim, Colin Creevey who saw it through the lens of a camera. In December, it saw Nearly Headless Nick. Because Nick was dead, he was not killed but he was Petrified instead. Justin Finch-Fletchley then saw it through the transparent body of Nick, and he was the fourth to be Petrified. The serpent was then inactive until April. Hermione was researching in the Library and worked out it was a Basilisk. En route to tell Harry and Ron, it Petrified her and Penelope Clearwater through a mirror. The school thought it was safe until it happened and it caused a lockdown. Harry and Ron later found a piece of paper in her frozen hand and read her research. Harry and Ron forced Lockhart to go into the Chamber of Secrets and found a shedded skin at least 20 feet long. It caused Lockhart to panic and nearly escape. Slaying Harry eventually found the Chamber of Secrets. The soul in Tom Riddle's Diary was growing stronger and was gaining a physical form, enabling Tom to call for the serpent in Parseltongue for the purpose of killing Harry. The serpent began hunting Harry and he fell to the ground. Fawkes began soaring round and distracted the Basilisk. It snapped furiously at Fawkes who clawed the Basilisk's eyes out. Tom demanded the Basilisk continue hunting Harry who had called for the Sorting Hat to help and was given the Sword of Gryffindor. The serpent twisted round to face Harry and was about to devour him, but Harry dodged it. The same thing happened again and the Basilisk lunged towards Harry, but he plunged the Sword into the Basilisk's head. A fang was lodged in Harry's arm but the Basilisk was killed. Fawkes healed Harry and he used the fang to destroy Tom Riddle's Diary because Basilisk venom was a rare substance that could eliminate Horcruxes. It's venom was imbued in the Sword , enabling it to be used to eliminate others including Slytherin's Locket and Nagini. In May 1998, it's body was a skeleton. Hermione Granger took a fang to destroy Helga Hufflepuff's Cup. Appearance The Basilisk had a breath-taking, ice-cold voice of venom that was chilling to those who could hear it. Notes and sources Category:Basilisks